You Belong With Me
by SethRocks
Summary: Marc decides to confess his feelings for Nathaniel in letter form. But before he can, Nathaniel starts going out with Lila. Upon learning this, Marc decides to keep his love for the artist a secret and has to endure seeing Nathaniel and Lila together. Beta read by Ryn Garner and ShadowFire4359, so a big thanks to them for helping out :D
1. Chapter 1

Marc quietly walked to school, the only sound reaching his ears being his feet lightly tapping the pavement with each step. He arrived just in time and heard the bell echo loudly through the area. Students immediately began heading to their respective classes. The writer made his way to his own class as well and took a seat in his usual spot.

Marc spent the rest of the day working on his schoolwork like he normally does. Throughout his last class, he glanced at the clock from time to time, his excitement growing more as the school day neared its end. Finally, the last bell rang and Marc quickly packed his belongings away before leaving the room and heading to another part of the school.

The writer wandered along the familiar route while other students were leaving for the day. He smiled as his favorite room came into view and headed over to the open doorway. He walked into the art room and glanced around. He moved past Alix who stopped in the middle of spray painting to nod at him before resuming her work.

Marc smiled as he walked past where Rose was perched on a stool with her headphones blaring guitar riffs and loud drums. He waved at the small girl as she happened to look up at him. She smiled widely and waved back before looking down at the notepad in her hand and scribbling something.

Marc then turned his attention onto the corner of the room where Nathaniel sat, just drawing in his sketchbook. The writer's smile widened as he approached the table and took a seat next to the focused artist. Marc swore his heart skipped a beat as Nathaniel looked up and flashed him a bright smile.

"Hey, Marc," The redhead greeted him, sharp sea-foam eyes shimmering brightly.

The writer felt his cheeks heat up and slightly and hoped that it wasn't visible on his face.

"Hi, Nathaniel."

Marc sat down and pulled his journal from his bag before opening to the last page he was working on. The raven-haired boy started to describe all of the ideas he had for the plot of the next volume of their comic. Nathaniel listened happily and added his own inputs from time to time and they agreed on a rough draft.

After that, the pair fell into a comfortable silence as they worked. After a few moments of them quietly scribbling on paper, Nathaniel abruptly looked up, his eyes bright with excitement.

"Oh, I just remembered something. There's a new student in my class and she's amazing! She's related to a really famous artist that lived here about 200 years ago."

Marc looked at the excitement in Nathaniel's eyes and couldn't help but give in to the emotion's infectious nature. But something seemed odd about the way that Nathaniel was describing the new student. Marc tried to figure out what exactly was making him feel weird but didn't have any luck in pinpointing it.

"That's cool," Marc simply responded with a small smile.

Nathaniel continued to talk, and Marc listened attentively. He always enjoyed watching Nathaniel talk about something that interests him because of the way that the artist's eyes light up and he smiles while explaining whatever he's talking about. Oh, Marc loves that wonderful smile. It could light up all of Paris with its beauty. He considers every moment where he gets to see that smile a pleasing one.

The next hour progressed quickly and they established a stopping point in their work before saying goodbye to each other and heading to their respective homes. Marc smiled during his stroll back to his house. He entered the quiet home and made his way to his room. He entered and sighed happily. He always felt happy after getting to spend time with Nathaniel.

Marc bit his lip anxiously as he thought over his feelings for his partner. Lately, his mind has been completely wrapped around the artist and everything that he does. It's driving him crazy! He suddenly remembered what Marinette had told him the previous day. He was talking to her about his crush on Nathaniel and Marinette suggested writing a letter to admit how he feels to Nathaniel.

It seems like a good idea. Writing was his specialty after all. Marc made up his mind and plopped down onto the chair in front of his desk and opened a folder sitting on a corner to pull a blank piece of paper out. He set in down on the smooth surface in front of him and picked out a pen before starting to write.

Nathaniel,

The past few weeks working with you have been amazing. You're the best partner anyone could ask for. You're smart, kind, creative, and incredibly talented. Since we've agreed to work together, I've always considered you a great friend, but lately, I've been feeling different. I know that our first encounter wasn't that great, but I keep thinking back to small things that have happened since then like when we sat on the stairs at school and you listened to me read like it was the most amazing thing in the world. I also can't stop remembering the day that we were having the picnic on Hero's Day and you rested your hands on my shoulders. When you did that, I couldn't help but feel warm and happy. Actually, lately, everything you do has that effect on me. I just wanted you to know that I really like you.

Marc smiled as he wrote the last part and carefully folded the letter before sliding it into an envelope that he had ready. He quickly sealed it and took a deep breath before attempting to reassure himself. He could do this. He had to. He placed the sealed letter on his desk and tried not to worry too much about tomorrow, but his mind buzzed with everything that could happen.

Hopefully, Nathaniel would return his feelings. The writer isn't sure what he would do if the artist didn't feel the same. Marc sighed and just got ready for bed, his stomach feeling a little tight as he started to worry more. He slid under the covers and made himself comfortable before falling asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Marc woke up to soft music emitting from his phone and blinked sleepily before he reached out and silenced his alarm. He slowly sat up and stretched before getting out of bed. He yawned and happened to glance at the letter laying on his desk and felt a storm of butterflies take flight in his stomach. He was really going to do it, wasn't he? Maybe he shouldn't. What if Nathaniel is disgusted and doesn't want anything to do with him anymore? Maybe he should just throw the note away and forget that he ever wrote it, but he'll probably regret it if he doesn't take this chance.

Marc shook his head to stop the racing thoughts and removed his gaze from the envelope before he began getting ready for the day.

Five minutes later, Marc was fully dressed and grabbing a croissant from the kitchen before leaving his house. He ate the flaky pastry as he walked silently to school, his nerves eating away at him. He enjoyed the quiet and peace of the morning as the large school came into view.

As the green-eyed boy walked up the wide stairs leading to the school's entrance, he swore he could feel the letter burning a hole through the bag resting on his back. Marc ignored the feeling and walked through the open door to enter the slightly noisy courtyard. He went to his usual spot beneath the stairs and wrote in his journal to pass the time.

Marc worked on writing some dialogue for his and Nathaniel's comic and was able to get a decent amount down before he was interrupted by the first bell of the day. The shy boy carefully stood up and started heading up the stairs to go to his first class of the day.

Marc ended up spending the day much like he did the previous one, aside from his constant wondering and worrying about the note. At lunch, he ended up pushing his food around on his plate, too nervous to feel hungry. After that, the day passed in what seemed like the blink of an eye and the school day came to an end. The raven-haired boy tried to keep his breathing under control as he stood up from his seat and slowly made his way to the room he was dreading yet excited to go into.

Marc paused outside of the entrance to room 33 and took a few deep, even breaths before forcing his feet to move. He anxiously walked in, letter in hand and trying to feel brave. He immediately headed to his and Nathaniel's usual table and stopped in his tracks as he took in the scene before him.

Someone was sitting in the seat next to Nathaniel's. But...that was his seat. Marc just stared, wanting to know who this person was. He also noticed the closeness between the girl with long hair and Nathaniel. The blue-eyed boy stopped his conversation with the girl in Marc's seat and looked up at the writer, his bright smile stretched across his face. Nathaniel waved happily at him.

"Hey, Marc."

Usually, that smile would always make Marc feel better, but he just felt like his stomach had turned heavy and had sunk lower in his body. He forced his free arm up and half-heartedly waved back while hiding the hand holding the letter behind his back. He approached the table and stood about a foot away.

"Hey, Nathaniel," Marc quietly greeted his crush, trying not to show the emotions he was feeling in his voice.

The girl sitting close to Nathaniel looked up and smiled at Marc. The writer glanced at her and sensed something...off about the grin. He stopped looking at her and returned his attention to Nathaniel. The dark-haired boy stayed quiet, not sure what to say and also not sure what to make of this situation.

Nathaniel was the one to break the silence.

"Marc, I'd like to introduce you to someone. This is my girlfriend Lila."

Marc felt like his stomach was twisting painfully. He stayed silent for a few seconds, not able to think enough to respond as his heart shattered into pieces. The writer's mouth felt dry and he swallowed hard. The raven-haired boy took a shaky breath before forcing a smile onto his face.

"It's n-nice to meet you."

Marc held back tears as he looked at Nathaniel and his new girlfriend. The writer breathed in deeply through his nose, swallowing back the small amount of nausea he was starting to feel before speaking again.

"I just remembered. I have something to do today so I have to go. I'll see you later."

Marc didn't wait for a response from Nathaniel and hastily waved at the artist before he practically ran out of the art room. He quickly headed to the stairs and went down them before running out of the school's courtyard. He didn't stop until he arrived at his doorstep, panting hard and out of breath.

The green-eyed boy took his key out and had some trouble unlocking the door, due to tears blurring his vision, before making his way inside. He breathed shakily and immediately headed to his room before laying down on his bed and burying his face into his pillow, just wanting to escape from the world.

After a couple of minutes, Marc sniffled and lifted his face to breathe in some fresh air. He then merely stared at the wall as a numbness settled in his body and he looked blankly at the letter he was still gripping. He kept staring as his mind replayed everything that just happened, causing the writer to curl in on himself and allow his grip on the envelope to loosen. He soon released the note and it fell onto the floor.

Marc spent the rest of the night laying on his bed, not even eating dinner. He didn't want to eat or think or move or do anything. He just wanted to forget what had happened that day, but it's like the moment was eternally burned into his mind. Sometime during the night, he drifted off into a fitful sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Marc sighed sadly as he sat alone at the table in the corner of the art room. He just looked at Nathaniel's empty seat next to him and tried to focus on his writing but his mind was flitting through thoughts rapidly. What if Nathaniel got into an accident? What if an akuma had attacked and the artist was hurt?!

Marc pressed his hands to his face in hopes of stopping the intrusive scenarios and closed his eyes. He took deep breaths and managed to get himself calmed down. He removed his hands from his face and opened his eyes. As soon as he did, his phone beeped, alerting him of a message.

The writer picked his phone up and looked at the message. He frowned as he read what was sent. Nathaniel wouldn't be coming by the art room today. Apparently, Lila had gotten injured and Nathaniel was going to go see her. Nathaniel also apologized for what felt like the thousandth time since he started dating Lila a month ago.

The day that Marc found out about Lila and Nathaniel being together was absolutely the hardest. The morning of the following day after his hasty retreat from the art room, Marc simply picked up the note he was going to give to Nathaniel and placed it onto his desk. There was no way he could give the letter to the artist now, but Marc couldn't bring himself to toss it out.

Marc shook the memory away and pushed his sadness down before he simply responded with an okay to Nathaniel's explanation. He immediately shoved his stuff into his bag and hastily left the quiet room. He walked down the stairs and followed his typical route of the school. He headed down the white steps and started walking in the direction of his home before coming to a stop. He didn't really feel like going home to be alone with his thoughts.

Marc really wanted to talk to someone so he could get his feelings off of his chest about the recent events in his life. He turned and started walking in a different direction than usual. He wandered quietly along the river and just tried to keep calm as he made his way through the quiet area.

Marc watched as the familiar sight of the old blue boat with purple flames came into view. He headed over to the small bridge leading onto the deck and crossed it slowly. He moved forward and stepped carefully through the clutter on the deck before reaching the door leading down to the rooms onboard.

Marc stepped down the stairs and walked through the brightly colored living room. He saw the familiar hallway ahead and heard quiet guitar playing coming from the area. He kept walking and turned to the right to see his cousin sitting on his bed with his eyes closed while playing his instrument.

As soon as Marc walked into the open space, Luka's head snapped up and sadness manifested on his face before he started strumming his guitar and played a sad sounding song. Marc quietly crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed while listening. The depressing sounding chords caused him to start feeling emotional as his mind supplied him with everything happening with Nathaniel dating Lila.

Marc kept listening to the musician playing. After about half a minute, Luka stopped and carefully set his guitar down to lean against his bed before patting the spot next to him in a silent invitation. Marc kicked his shoes off and carefully moved further onto the soft bed.

The shy boy sat with his back to the wall before moving his legs up and laying his chin onto his knees while keeping his eyes firmly locked onto the light blue sheets beneath him.

"Want to talk about it?"

Luka looked at Marc with concern on his face. Marc simply shook his head, keeping his gaze rooted down.

"Okay," Luka said understandingly before he quietly got up and headed out of the open room to the small kitchen area.

Marc just listened to the quiet opening and shutting of cabinet doors and the sound of the microwave humming before it emitted a semi-loud beep. The writer hears footsteps approaching and Luka walked in while holding a rainbow-colored mug. The older boy smiled kindly and carefully handed the mug to the green-eyed boy.

Marc took it and felt a small smile appear on his face as he looked into the mug to be greeted with sweet-smelling hot chocolate and a few mini marshmallows floating around in the sugary beverage. He took a small whiff and sighed happily, feeling a little better.

"Thanks, Luka."

Marc smiled at his cousin and gently blew into the mug before taking a small sip. He smiled more as he savored the rich flavor of the chocolate and the smooth texture of the drink. The green-eyed boy spent the next few minutes just quietly sipping at his hot chocolate as he just enjoyed the way that warmth was spreading through him due to the drink. He tilted his head back slightly and drank the last of the comforting refreshment.

Marc then reached down and set the empty mug onto the floor at the bed's end before he settled comfortably and thought. Luka quietly strummed his guitar as Marc planned what he wanted to say.

"Do you remember when I told you about the boy I'm working on the comic with?"

Luka stopped strumming and looked at Marc.

"Yeah, I do."

"Well...he's got a girlfriend now."

Marc choked slightly on the word 'girlfriend' and struggled to keep his emotions under control. Luka noticed the small change in emotion and smiled sadly as he put the pieces together of what is bothering Marc, but he stayed quiet so the younger boy could explain.

"The day before I found out he was dating someone, I wrote him a letter that said how I felt about him. I was going to give it to him. I was scared but I was going to do it. But then I walked into the art room at school and she was there with him. I felt so heartbroken and didn't know what to do. Even though being around him hurts now, I still love him, but sometimes, I wish that I didn't. It would be so much easier if I didn't."

As Marc continued speaking, his hands gripped into fists and unshed tears appeared, making the writer's eyes shiny. Luka frowned and reached a hand out to touch Marc's shoulder. Marc's shoulders shook faintly as he started to cry and hot tears streaked down his cheeks as all of his frustration and sadness overwhelmed him.

Luka stayed quiet throughout it. After a few minutes, the writer's crying stopped and he merely sat there quietly as a strange calmness came over him. A short moment of silence passed before Marc spoke up.

"Thanks for listening, Luka."

Marc raised his head and aimed a small smile of gratitude at the musician.

"You're welcome, Marc."

Luka gave the writer's shoulder a small squeeze. The rest of the night went much smoother and was spent watching movies and enjoying snacks. After a few hours of fun, Marc noticed the time and told Luka goodbye before leaving the houseboat to begin his trip home.

As Marc was walking, he breathed in deeply, feeling much lighter than he had when he walked onto the boat a few hours before. He contently made his way home and arrived there quickly. He opened the door before heading to his room and entering the familiar space. He immediately allowed his bag to fall to the floor and plopped down onto his bed, just wanting to rest.

Marc kicked his shoes off and quietly enjoyed the comfort of the soft surface. He breathed evenly and kept still as the feeling of being emotionally drained overtook him. Without realizing it, his eyes slipped shut and he fell into a peaceful sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Marc was quietly jotting ideas down in his notebook when he heard footsteps and looked up. He mentally sighed in relief as he watched Nathaniel walk into the art room, thankfully without Lila by his side. The redhead came over and sat down in his usual place next to Marc. He was happy to see Nathaniel, but also not pleased because seeing Nathaniel reminded him that the redhead loves Lila and not him. The writer faintly smiled at Nathaniel as joy and pain permeated his heart in a bittersweet mix.

"Hey, Nath."

Nathaniel smiled widely at the writer.

"Hey. How was your day?"

"It was good. How was yours?"

Marc started to feel happier as he talked more to the beautiful boy next to him.

"My day was good too. Miss Bustier let us bring food to class today and have a small party since everyone got good grades on the test we had last week. It's a shame you're not in our class. I wish you could've been there."

Marc felt warmth in his chest from the fact that Nathaniel wanted him there with him and the writer's smile widened a bit.

"That sounds like it was a lot of fun."

"It was," Nathaniel confirmed while he opened his sketchbook.

For the next few minutes, they quietly discussed ideas for their comic, but more people came into the art room and it got a little too crowded for the shy boys. Marc started becoming uncomfortable and Nathaniel noticed the writer's unease and spoke up.

"Would you like to head to the park to work?"

Marc smiled and nodded.

"I would like that," He murmured shyly.

Nathaniel nodded and stood up. The artist put his backpack on before grabbing his things. Marc stood as well and grabbed his journal and put his bag on before heading out of the room with Nathaniel leading the way. The creative pair quietly, side by side, made their way to the park as the sun shone brilliantly and birds flew overhead.

The two of them wandered down the nearly deserted sidewalks for a few minutes before Marc noticed the entrance of the park ahead. They passed through it and looked around for a place to sit. After a few seconds, Nathaniel spotted an empty bench beneath the shade of a large tree.

"Let's go sit over there."

Marc nodded in agreement and followed the shorter boy over to the long wooden seat. Nathaniel took his bag off and set it down next to the bench before he sat down. Marc carefully took his bag off and placed it next to Nathaniel's before sitting down next to the artist.

Marc sighed happily as he enjoyed the warm day and light breeze and opened his journal. In the quiet and calm atmosphere of the nearly empty park, the two creators discussed future plotlines and new characters for a while before falling into a comfortable silence as they worked on the things that were discussed.

The wind picked up slightly and some of Marc's hair began falling into his face. For the next couple of minutes, he continuously reached up and pushed it away, but the wind soon blew it back down. He huffed and decided to just ignore the hair tickling his skin and focus on his writing. He noticed Nathaniel moving and looked up at the artist to see him reaching out. The blue-eyed boy gently tucked the hair securely behind Marc's ear.

The writer felt heat bloom in his cheeks and bashfully smiled at the other boy. Nathaniel returned the smile with happiness written on his face. They soon heard someone clearing their throat and they both looked up. Marc tried not to frown as he was greeted by the sight of Lila standing by the bench while she looked expectantly at Nathaniel.

Marc watched with a heavy heart as Nathaniel smiled at her and stood up from his spot on the bench as Lila walked over to him. The artist went to her and gently pressed his lips to hers for a few seconds. Marc felt his heart drop a little as he watched and glanced away, not wanting to devastate himself more than he has to. After Nathaniel kissed her, the red-headed boy pulled his girlfriend in for a hug. Lila hugged back and laid her head on his shoulder.

Lila smugly smiled at Marc over Nathaniel's shoulder so the artist wouldn't notice. Marc noticed her expression and frowned. The writer then turned his gaze down as he started putting his things away. Once Marc's things were put away, he stood up and waited until Nathaniel stopped hugging Lila.

"I'm going to head home. I'll see you later."

Marc tried not to let sadness seep into his voice.

Nathaniel nodded and smiled at the taller boy.

"Okay. I'll see you at school tomorrow."

Marc returned the smile and started walking away, the smile falling as soon as he turned away from Nathaniel. He spent the walk home in silence, just thinking about the artist. Why did Lila have to join Nathaniel's class? If she hadn't, Marc could've been the one kissing and hugging Nathaniel right now.

Marc took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a few seconds. He needed to stop thinking about it. There's no point in upsetting himself. He looked up to see that he had already arrived home. He pulled out his house key and unlocked the door before opening it and entering.

The dark-haired boy took his shoes off and left them next to the door before walking into the living room and plopping down on the couch. He picked up the remote lying carelessly on the cushion next to him and turned on a random channel, not really caring about what was shown on the screen.

Marc wrapped his arms around himself and curled in slightly as his heartache from the past month weighed his shoulders down. Hopefully, he can eventually feel better, but for now, he would just try to get through it. That's all he can do.


	5. Chapter 5

Marc tiredly opened his eyes and looked around before getting out of bed. He stretched and went to the bathroom, shivering a little from the cool floor beneath his feet. He stood in front of the mirror above the sink and splashed some water on his face. He headed back into his room and slowly slipped a pair of jeans, a tank top, and a pair of ankle socks on before approaching his dresser and picking up his phone.

Marc noticed an unread message and unlocked his phone before going into his contacts. He stared at Nathaniel's name before tapping the message icon beside the picture. He read the message from the red-headed boy. It was a simple good morning. Marc sent the same thing back but added a smiley emoji on the end. He also asked how Nathaniel was.

After a few seconds, Marc received a text. Nathaniel messaged that he's had better days. Marc frowned slightly and quickly fired off a message to the artist, asking if he was okay. After about a minute, Marc's phone buzzed and the writer read Nathaniel's reply. He explained that he was okay, but that he was tired of the drama sometimes. Marc sends a sorry and a frowny face.

Lately, Marc has noticed tense moments and slight arguments between Nathaniel and Lila. That has caused Marc to be tempted to feel glee from a strain in the relationship, but his heart is saddened by the fact that the rough moments are hurting Nathaniel. If only he and Nathaniel could be together.

Marc would treat the shorter boy as well as he could and love him the way he deserves to be loved. He unconsciously chewed his lip as he started typing. He took a deep breath and tried to fight the self-doubt that began to swirl and consume his thoughts.

I need to tell you something really important.

Marc frowned and let out an exasperated breath before erasing the whole sentence. He approached his bed and gently tossed his phone, sitting down as it landed onto the blanket nearby. There's no point in telling the redheaded artist about how he feels anyway. Nathaniel wouldn't return his feelings.

Nathaniel is in love with Lila who is everything that Marc isn't. She's pretty and nice. She doesn't have trouble talking to people and the long-haired girl has lots of friends. She's also done so many amazing things. Things that Marc could only dream of experiencing for himself.

But Marc doesn't want to do those things by himself. He wants to do them with Nathaniel right by his side. He stood up and slowly approached the tall mirror in the corner of his room. A slight frown appeared on his face as he looked over himself in the mirror. The dark-haired boy looked at his tight jeans and noticed how skinny his legs are. Lila isn't skinny. She's the right weight and has nice curves. Marc's gaze moved higher. Maybe it's because he wears bright colors. Lila doesn't. All of her apparel is darker tones. He pushed the thoughts away and looked down before turning from his reflection.

Marc headed back over to his bed and sat down after grabbing his journal from its resting place on his bedside stand. He opened to his latest page, marked by a small strip of laminated paper which consisted of three equal-sized squares. Each square was a picture of him and Nathaniel. They were making silly faces in the first two pictures. But the third one was Nathaniel looking at the camera with his arm around the shy writer's shoulders while Marc shyly smiled at the camera.

Marc tried not to let his face fall and simply set the photo strip on the small wooden top of his nightstand. He then carefully placed the ends of his earbuds in and turned on his playlist. He settled comfortably and began scribbling neatly in the journal that Nathaniel had got the writer as a gift for his birthday. A blush settled on Marc's cheeks as he began recalling the smile on Nathaniel's face as he handed the neatly wrapped present to him.

Marc listened as Avril Lavigne's 'I'm With You' started to play on his phone. He hasn't heard this song since he became friends with Nathaniel. As the first verse plays, Marc thinks back to before Marinette stumbled across his hiding place beneath the school's stairs and introduced herself to him.

The shy writer would listen to this song often. He always felt so lonely and the words often gave him hope. He would have fantasies of someone amazing coming into his life and becoming the piece that he didn't know was missing. He realizes now that Nathaniel is most definitely that person for him.

Marc has never been one to believe in fate or anything of that sort but meeting Nathaniel has completely changed that view. The green-eyed boy can't help but feel that their meeting was destined, as was them working on a comic together. The writer felt a twinge of sadness as he realized that his hope of Nathaniel and him being together for the rest of their lives wasn't meant to be apparently.

Trying to avoid thinking about that, Marc started writing again and found himself struggling due to the weight of everything on his mind at the moment. He jumped a bit when his phone suddenly buzzed. He reached out and pulled it from his pocket to read the message that was sent. Marinette wanted to know if he would like to hang out.

Marc thought about it and shrugged. He's got nothing better to do and despite being introverted, it sounds nice to be in someone's company at the moment. He also doesn't feel too shy around Marinette. He texted back a yes and headed to the front door before pulling his shoes onto his feet.

The dark-haired boy locked the door before he began the walk to his friend's house. He walked through the quiet area, just enjoying the quiet of the sunny day. He kept walking and quickly found himself at the building on the corner. He entered the slightly busy bakery, and after taking a few steps, breathed in deeply as the aroma of freshly baked bread surrounded him.

The green-eyed boy quickly spotted Marinette's parents behind the counter and waved at them. They smiled and waved back before resuming their work. Marc went to the stairs and headed up to Marinette's room. She greeted him and lead him into her room. They took a seat on the girl's bed and Marinette brought out some nail polish.

"Can you do my nails?"

Marc nodded and began carefully applying an even coat of red to the girl's nails.

Once done, Marc put the lid back on the small bottle and placed it down. Marinette smiles, enjoying the writer's work.

"You always do this better than I do."

Marinette smiled kindly at the shy boy. Marc only nodded and anxiously gripped his arm as he just stayed quiet with a small frown on his face as he got lost in his thoughts.

"Hey, you seem down. Is something wrong?" Marinette looked at Marc with concern on her face.

Marc worriedly chewed on his lip a little before answering. "Yeah. It's...about Nathaniel. I've been so miserable since he's started dating Lila."

Surprise and a hint of anger emerged on Marinette's face. "Nathaniel is dating Lila? I didn't know that. They've seemed closer lately, but I had no idea they were together."

Marc looked at her with surprise as well. "That's odd. I figured that you, being Nath's and Lila's classmate, would have known before me."

Marinette, with a pensive look, nodded in agreement with the writer's statement. It was silent for a few seconds before Marinette placed a hand on Marc's shoulder.

The blue-eyed girl looked at Marc seriously.

"You can't trust her. She's got everyone in the class on her side beside myself and Adrien. Just make sure you keep an eye out for her."

Marc nodded, reflecting Marinette's seriousness, as he began to think over her words regarding Nathaniel's girlfriend. He trusts that Marinette is right about not being able to trust Lila. Marc has noticed inconsistencies in the brown-haired girl's stories, but he's never been bold enough to call her out on it.

Thinking more, Marc suddenly found himself not wanting to believe that Lila is the type of person to go around spreading false information and fabricating adventures. And it's not because he believes that Lila is a good person. No, the reason he doesn't want to believe it is because Nathaniel is dating her but Marc finds it difficult to accept that Nathaniel would fall for such an absurd amount of lies.

Marc could speak up and say something to the red-headed artist about it, but doing so would most likely create trouble and ultimately lead to Nathaniel's unhappiness and that's never going to be something that the writer wants to be responsible for. So, it's probably best that he stays silent about Lila's lies. All he can do is hope that Nathaniel will eventually see through the green-eyed girl's facade.

The dark-haired writer felt guilt beginning to weigh down his shoulders and sighed almost inaudibly. He feels bad to think that the best thing to do in this situation is to keep quiet and allow Nathaniel to stay in his relationship with Lila, completely blind to the girl's deceit. Does Lila even love Nathaniel? The thought starts to pull harshly at Marc's mind.

Just as Marc started to feel panic welling up, the tense scene was broken as Marinette's parents opened the door and offered the pair some snacks. Marc shook away the thoughts and allowed himself to indulge in the sugary food. He and Marinette ate their fill of the delicious treats and contently played video games for the next few hours.

Right after finishing a round, Marinette noticed the time.

"It's getting late. You should probably head home before dark."

Marc nodded and stood up while aiming a small smile at the pig-tailed girl.

"You're right."

The two then headed down to the ground floor and noticed that Marinette's parents weren't in the bakery anymore. Marc waved goodbye and smiled at Marinette while she returned the gesture and expression. He headed through the now empty shop. He walked through the door and enjoyed the cool air on his skin as he headed away from the corner building in the direction of his home.

Marc started walking quickly since the sun was beginning to set so he could arrive back before nightfall. He made it to his house just in time and headed inside. He greeted his parents and went to his room. An hour later, after dinner and getting ready for bed, Marc slipped beneath the covers and dozed off.


	6. Chapter 6

Marc was listening to music and writing when he suddenly received a text. He opened up the message and smiled when he saw it was from Nathaniel. The text explained that Nino and a few guys in Nathaniel's class were planning to throw a surprise guy hangout time since Adrien's father would be out of town and that he could come if he wanted.

Marc's heartbeat picked up a faster pace as he processed the words. Guy hangout meant that Lila wouldn't be there. He immediately agreed to go and sent a smiley face after messaging Nathaniel about his interest in attending. Nathaniel messaged back, telling Marc to meet him outside of his house in about 10 minutes.

Marc quickly pulled his boots and red hoodie on before sliding his phone into the pocket of his jeans before leaving his house and waiting for Nathaniel to show up. The dark-haired boy started messing around on his phone to kill some time and after a couple of minutes, Marc heard footsteps and looked up to see Nathaniel striding towards him.

While sliding his phone into his pocket, Marc raised a hand up and waved while smiling slightly. Nathaniel instantly waved back and returned the smile. Nathaniel came to a stop in front of Marc.

"Ready to go?"

Nathaniel asked Marc while still aiming that charming grin at him. Not trusting his voice, Marc simply nodded as he felt a blush threatening to rise due to being under the redhead's attention. Nathaniel must have been satisfied with the non-verbal response because he motioned for Marc to follow him and started walking, leading the way to Adrien's house.

Marc quietly followed and just enjoyed the peaceful silence between him and Nathaniel. He tried, but couldn't remember the last time that the two of them were free to really hang out without Lila hanging around or showing up to interrupt Marc and Nathaniel's time together.

They soon approached the large Agreste house and came to a stop in front of the large gate. With Nathaniel beside him, Marc walked up to the wall beside the gate and waited as Nathaniel pressed a red button in the bottom right corner of a small black panel resting on the wall. A panel opened and a camera on the end of a rod slipped out from the wall before aiming itself at the two boys.

"Hello. We're here to work on the project with Adrien."

Nathaniel awkwardly smiled at the long circular camera extended out towards them.

The camera was motionless for a few seconds before it slid back into its hiding spot in the wall and one half of the tall black gate in front of them opened with a squeak. Marc walked in next to Nathaniel and they slowly made their way up the wide steps leading up to the front door of the enormous house.

The door was opened and a large man came into view. The man held the door open for them so they could enter. Nathaniel walked in and Marc followed him. They were lead down a hallway to a door that must into Adrien's room. The large man held the door open for them and music was heard playing. The two boys headed in and only got a few steps inside before they were approached and held in an embrace.

Marc was happy but surprised as Ivan ran forward and hugged him and Nathaniel tightly while still being careful enough not to hurt the smaller boys. After a few seconds, the large boy let them go and excitedly led them over to the foosball table. While smiling softly, Marc followed him and stood on one side with Nathaniel while Ivan stood on the opposite side.

Suddenly a wave of really loud music blasted through the room and Marc covered his ears tightly. Nathaniel did the same and looked at Marc worriedly. With a slight grimace, Marc looked back.

'Are you okay?' Nathaniel mouthed at Marc while the concern on his face became more pronounced. Marc just nodded and slowly uncovered his ears. The loud noise echoing through the room made Marc's ears ring slightly, but he ignored it. Nathaniel removed his hands from his ears as well and winced before laying a reassuring hand on Marc's shoulder and giving a small squeeze.

Marc felt heat rise in his cheeks and kept his gaze firmly on the foosball table in front of him. The writer listened to Ivan's quick instructions on how to play and reached out to grip the knobs. He started to tentatively try playing. He abruptly felt something brush against his arm and looked to the side to see Nathaniel right next to him doing the same as him.

The heat in Marc's cheeks intensified and he didn't dare look at Nathaniel's face and opted to keep his focus on the game in front of him. Shortly after they started their game, a police officer stomped into the room and blew his whistle. The music was stopped and feeling glad that the music was off, Marc's shoulders sagged with relief.

Marc just watched as the police officer loudly demanded to know what the racket was about. He and Nathaniel both stayed quiet as Nino explained. After a few seconds, Marc noticed Nathaniel playing again and decided to do so as well. The writer tuned out the conversation taking place across the room and focused on playing.

Suddenly, the officer came stomping over to where Marc, Nathaniel, and Ivan were. He plucked up the ball and explained, better than Ivan did, how to play after placing the ball down in the center of the small field residing in the table. He used the small players to move the ball around and quickly scored a goal.

Marc couldn't help the awed sound that escaped him. He felt relieved as the other boys, who were now all gathered around the table, shared the same reaction. The next hour passed in a blur as more and more people came into the room. Marc danced to music and took pictures with his friends.

For one picture, Ivan was hugging Adrien, Marc, and Nathaniel while the writer and artist were kissing the blonde model's cheeks.

Marc tried to keep a blush from appearing as a thought popped into his mind of what it would be like to kiss Nathaniel's cheek or better yet, his lips.

Marc felt happy as he continued watching his friends just having fun. He cheered and raised an arm up as Adrien played his piano while Kim did a funny pose on top of the large instrument. Marc kept spending time dancing and staying mostly by Nathaniel's side. The room quickly became crowded and Marc even noticed that his cousin Luka was there.

Nathaniel came to Marc's side with a drink and motioned for them to go closer to where the door was since it wasn't too packed in that spot. Marc nodded in agreement and the two stood close to the room's entrance. With his arms resting at his sides, Marc just shyly glanced at Nathaniel while the red-head was cupping the bottom of his can of drink with one hand while holding the side of it with the other hand. Marc must've been unknowingly showing nervousness or something of the sort on his face because Nathaniel looked at him with a slightly worried expression.

"Are you having fun?"

Nathaniel suddenly asked.

Marc's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he felt confusion rise while quietly answering.

"Yes. It's nice to be here with everyone."

'And with you.'

That last part passed through Marc's mind but never escaped his lips.

A small smile of relief appeared on Nathaniel's face and his eyes shined brightly.

"That's good. I was just worried about how you were feeling since there's a lot of people in here and I know that you aren't exactly comfortable around crowds."

Aiming a soft smile at the red-head, Marc swore that his heart was melting in the best way possible. Nathaniel was worried about him and if he was comfortable. That is one of the many reasons why Marc has fallen so hard for the artist. Nathaniel cares deeply about his friends and since the whole 'reverser' incident, Nathaniel has been nothing but kind to Marc.

While Marc was thinking over the ways that Nathaniel makes him comfortable, the blue-eyed artist brought up their comic and ideas he has for future chapters. Marc smiled wider and excitedly discussed the suggestions with him. They did so for some time before music was heard throughout the large space. Both him and Nathaniel looked up to see a group of guys standing in front of the large windows of the room.

Curious as to what was going on, the creative pair wandered over to the small crowd that was gathered now. Nathaniel asked someone what was happening and according to them, the group was going to do the dance associated with the song that was blaring.

As the guys started the routine, Marc cupped his hands up near his face and yelled out encouragements while Nathaniel raised his arms up and cheered as well. Marc smiled and watched as the dance was done perfectly except for the short guy with the helmet and mustache. But Marc wouldn't judge since he can't dance that well either.

The dance continued and Marc kept cheering and raised an arm into the air excitedly. Right as the song was close to its end, Marc cupped his hands around his mouth again and cheered loudly as the guys in the group began to do spins. The biker attempted to do the same but fell down, causing the helmet and mustache to come flying off.

Gasping in surprise, Marc looked down at Marinette sprawled out on the floor. She looked up for a couple of seconds before sitting and immediately putting the glasses with fake mustache back on and frantically insisting that she wasn't Marinette.

Marc turned and looked as someone began loudly speaking. The guy had a large pink afro and mustache while wielding large disco balls on his hands. He was donning a black shirt and a jacket, pants, and sunglasses that matched the pattern of the disco balls.

The shiny intruder declared that he would make sure Adrien would never forget to invite him to one of his parties again. Most of the people in the room laughed, probably finding the guy's appearance comical. Marc didn't laugh, however, feeling that this was not good. The writer felt fear rising in him as he noticed Nathaniel standing nearby the intruder.

The retro-themed guy suddenly lunged forward and pressed a disco ball to the white three-seat couch next to Nathaniel. The couch and everyone that had the misfortune of being sat on it immediately glowed brightly before being shrunk and absorbed into the metallic sphere.

Then people were being captured right and left by what must be an akuma villain and Marc panicked. Breathing heavily with fear racing through him, Marc immediately made his way through the chaos and headed out of the door with everyone else. The writer looked around as a sudden thought struck him. He hasn't seen Nathaniel since the room broke out in a panic.

Heart sinking in his chest at the thought of Nathaniel being sucked into one of the disco balls, Marc looked around while running, hoping to catch a glimpse of the red-headed artist, but was unable to spot Nathaniel anywhere. Marc heard the shouting of the villain behind him and ran faster through the large hallway of Adrien's home.

The dark-haired boy darted down a small set of stairs that led to the main staircase that led right to the front door. Not faltering in his movement, Marc ran down the large white steps behind Ivan and headed right to the entrance. As Marc was passing through the, thankfully, open doorway, he risked a quick glance back and felt a strong swell of relief fill him. Nathaniel was running right behind him and appeared unharmed.

Once out in the open air and sunlight, Marc slowed down and frantically looked around for a place to hide. Nathaniel did the same and stayed close to Marc's side. Marc spotted the entryway to the street and immediately headed for it. Before he could go through it though, the villain landed down in front of him and got into a fighting stance.

Marc felt his fear spike and was unable to move as the villain moved forward and started moving a disco ball out towards him. Before it could touch him though, someone got in front of Marc and was absorbed instead of him. Marc's mouth dropped open and he watched with horror as Nathaniel was shrunk and sucked into the reflective ball. Before Marc could entirely process what happened, the villain touched him and he joined the countless others who had been captured.

Nothing. That was all Marc knew. Then suddenly he was standing in front of Adien's house next to Nathaniel along with everyone who had the misfortune of being touched by the villain's disco balls. Marc looked up and was surprised to see six heroes standing in front of him, all of them having determined stances as they stared down the akuma victim.

Everyone ran off and Marc was surprised to feel a hand slip into his and pull him away from the scene. The writer felt warmth spreading through him as Nathaniel led him to a safer spot. After getting a decent distance away from the fight, Nathaniel stopped and Marc fought a frown as the redhead pulled his hand from Marc's.

But then what happened right before he was captured flashed through Marc's mind and he stared with slight disbelief at the boy next to him. Nathaniel had sacrificed himself for Marc. The writer anxiously rubbed his arm.

"You didn't h-have to do that back there."

Mentally cursing himself for stuttering, Marc gazed at Nathaniel, waiting for his response.

Nathaniel looked confused before understanding flashed across his face. Then his expression became fond and Marc had to be imagining the small tinge of red on Nathaniel's cheeks.

"I couldn't just do nothing as he captured you. I had to jump in, but you were captured anyway, so I don't know what I achieved exactly."

Nathaniel rambled on while avoiding Marc's gaze. Marc listened intently and couldn't stop the blush that he no doubt had and was quick to reassure Nathaniel.

"It wasn't pointless though. I think...it was really brave of you. Thank you."

Marc's face felt hotter and he shyly looked at Nathaniel. The artist looked back with a similar look and after a short moment, smiled softly at Marc.

"You're welcome."

Marc felt butterflies racing through his stomach and nervously gripped his arm. Maybe Nathaniel cared as deeply for Marc as the writer did for him. Marc hoped so.


	7. Chapter 7

Marc took notes half-heartedly for most of the day, just wishing time would pass faster so he could head home. Normally after school, he would be working with Nathaniel on their comic, but the artist wasn't at school that day due to something family-related so there's really not a reason for the writer to go to the art room today. But he and Nathaniel had agreed to meet at the Lourve museum after school since the redhead would be free by then.

The rest of the day went at a snail's pace and Marc slowly got out of his seat at the sound of the dismissal bell. While leaving the room, he thought about all of the homework he's received today and decided to head to the school's library to go ahead and finish it. The library is open for an hour after the school day is finished, so he decided to take advantage of that.

The shy boy headed over to the large space and sat down at an empty table. Several people sat at nearby tables, doing their own work. Marc just sat quietly and worked on his homework for the day. The room quickly emptied as he worked diligently, but he couldn't shake the feeling of eyes on him. He glanced up every now and then but didn't see anyone around.

The writer pushed the feeling to the back of his mind and forced himself to focus. It took him about 30 minutes to complete all of his work for the day. Feeling accomplished, he put his stuff away before standing and putting his bag on. He walked out of the room, enjoying the quiet of the area.

Marc quietly walked through the deserted hallway. He suddenly heard footsteps approaching him from behind and turned around. He frowned at the sight of long brown hair and a crooked smile. He moved to turn back around and keep walking but Lila grabbed him by the arm and backed him up against a wall. He looked at her with surprise and a hint of fear.

Lila sneered at him before speaking in a falsely sweet tone.

"You think that I haven't noticed the way you've been looking at MY boyfriend."

Marc felt himself freeze and tried to think of something to say, but his mind was buzzing with distress too much to produce anything. The girl gripping his arm smirked and unleashed more of that deceitful cheeriness.

"Nothing to say, huh? Not surprising. I wonder why you believe that Nathaniel could ever love someone as worthless and untalented as you. You were only able to write those Ladybug stories because of Nathaniel's art. Without that, you're nothing."

Lila then released him and started walking away, but stopped after a few steps and looked over her shoulder at him.

"Oh, and one more thing. If you ever say anything about this to Nathaniel, I will make sure that he never wants anything to do with you again."

Lila walked away and Marc stood there for a second before he ran down the hallway, hot tears welling up and threatening to escape. He quickly found an empty classroom and entered it before going to a corner. With his back to the wall, he slid down until he was sat on the cold tile floor.

Marc sobbed into his knees, the wetness quickly spreading through the thin fabric of his jeans. He knows that Lila is a liar, but he believes that she can easily make Nathaniel abandon him. Like she said, why would Nathaniel want a nobody like him. While lost in his thoughts, he failed to notice the black and purple butterfly squeeze through the gap beneath the door and quietly flutter into the room. It approached him and was absorbed into his choker.

Marc lifted his face off of his knees as a combination of anger and sadness contorted his usually kind features. The voice of temptation started whispering in his mind.

"Tired of being so unhappy and hurt? Why should everyone else feel joy while you are stuck feeling so miserable? Well, I can help you make sure that everyone will feel the way you do. From now on, everyone you touch will no longer feel happiness, only misery. All you have to do is seize Ladybug and Cat Noir's miraculous."

Marc scowled.

"Yes, Hawkmoth."

A dark cloud surrounded every part of him and changed his appearance. Once the cloud dissipated, the writer now had ashen grey skin but his new outfit was extremely close to his usual one aside from a few changes. His hoodie had become a dark red and was stitched in several places. His rainbow shirt had become pure black and the pink parts of the hoodie had become a dark grey. His hair had become pitch black and was slightly messy. Also, his bangs now swept down to cover his right eye. His eyes had become darker green and there were black streaks going down from under each of his eyes. His gloves and choker had become pitch black, just like his hair, and his choker had a small grey pendant dangling which was half of a heart and was crooked on one side as if torn from the other half of the heart.

The now villain stood up and left the classroom before heading out of the school grounds. He soon heard the clacking of heels on the pavement and saw Lila walking away from the school. He quickly made his way over to her. She turned around and before she could get a word out, he gripped her arm while shooting her a disdainful look.

The touch caused the now disconsolate girl to begin weeping. Misery gave her a small sneer and fixed a pointed glare on her.

"How does it feel to be the one that's hurting? You looked like you enjoyed hurting me back at the school. Well, it's your turn to cry now."

Misery released Lila's arm and allowed her to fall onto her knees before he resumed wandering through the practically empty streets until his attention was soon drawn to the giant glass pyramid resting in a large courtyard. He soundlessly walked into the museum and stopped in his tracks as he spotted a lone figure sitting on a bench in the otherwise deserted area.

Nathaniel was sitting quietly and sketching and hadn't noticed that someone had walked in. Misery approached the bench and Nathaniel looked up. The artist took in Misery's appearance and fear filled his eyes as he realized that the person standing in front of him was most likely a villain. Nathaniel's gaze roamed over the akuma victim and he recognized the hoodie and face.

"Marc, what happened?"

Nathaniel questioned worriedly.

Misery frowned slightly before speaking.

"I'm not Marc. I am Misery and it doesn't matter what happened."

While the villain was speaking, Nathaniel watched him with distress in his eyes.

"Please don't do this. This isn't like you."

Misery smiled sadly at the blue-eyed boy's pleading and hummed thoughtfully.

"You're right. It's not, but I won't stop until everyone feels the way I do. Feels the pain, the heartbreak, the misery."

Nathaniel felt more fear at Misery's words and stayed still as he waited for the villain to affect him with his powers. But the akuma villian remained where he was and simply stared at Nathaniel with what appeared to be fondness in his eyes.

"Don't be afraid. I won't inflict my hurt upon you, Nathaniel. If anyone deserves to feel happiness, it's you."

Misery started leaving the way he came in after reassuring Nathaniel that he wouldn't hurt him. He ignored Nathaniel's pleads for him to come back and left. He looked around and spotted people. He instantly went over to them and simply touched their arms. They started crying and sat down where they were, just sobbing into their hands. He kept walking and just touched anyone he came across. This continued for about 15 minutes before two figures abruptly landed in front of him. He frowned and got into a fighting stance before addressing the heroes.

"Everyone will suffer and you will not stop me! Now hand me your miraculous!"

The leather-clad hero hummed briefly in thought.

"No, I don't think we will. My lady and I are going to put an end to the CATastrophe that you're unleashing."

Ladybug rolled her eyes slightly and gazed at the villain in front of her as she looked thoughtfully at him, finding him familiar somehow. After a few seconds, her eyes widened slightly as it struck her and she started pleading with him.

"Marc, you don't have to do this. Let us help you."

The villain frowned more before lunging forward and swinging a fist at Ladybug.

"I am Misery now and no one can help me. All I have to do is touch you and your miraculous will be easy to take!"

The bug-themed superhero leaped to the side and dodged the hit while she swung her yoyo and attempted to wrap it around Misery. The dark attired villain leaped to the side to avoid the string and noticed Cat Noir sneaking up behind him. Misery crouched and swept his leg, knocking Cat Noir's legs out from underneath him.

Cat Noir was quick to get back up and jumped back as Misery ran forward with one arm reached out toward the blonde superhero. Ladybug's yoyo came sailing in and wrapped around the villain's wrist, preventing him from touching Cat Noir. Misery tugged hard, but his hand refused to move forward anymore.

Whirling around to face Ladybug, Misery stared her down for a second before beginning to charge her again. As he did though, his path suddenly became blocked by Cat Noir's staff. He looked back and glared at the cat-themed hero, causing him to become distracted for a few seconds, which allowed Ladybug enough time to grab Misery and pin his arms behind his back (while making sure not to touch his hands) before tying them with her yoyo string.

Misery frowned deeply and struggled against the tight hold, not succeeding at all in loosening it as he was turned over onto his back. Ladybug and Cat Noir looked him over, trying to guess what the akumatized object was. Ladybug looked over the struggling villain carefully before honing in on the little pendant dangling from his choker. She reached down and carefully took the accessory off, all the while Misery was glaring at her.

Ladybug smiled at her partner.

"Would you do the honors?"

Cat Noir smiled back.

"Of course, my lady."

The boy in leather summoned his cataclysm power and destroyed the choker. It crumbled into dust and the akuma fluttered out of the wreckage. Ladybug went about her usual routine to catch and cleanse the tainted butterfly. She released the now white butterfly and summoned her lucky charm before tossing it in the air to fix everything that Misery had done. A dark cloud surrounded Misery and fell away to reveal Marc. He sat up and held a hand to his head.

Marc then looked around, not knowing where he was and noticed Ladybug and Cat Noir standing in front of him, the former looking at him with a sad smile. The raven-haired boy's face fell a bit. How weak does he have to be to become akumatized twice? He carefully got up and gripped his arm while looking at the ground, not sure what to say. He felt a hand suddenly land gently on his shoulder and looked up to see Ladybug smiling at him.

"Are you alright?"

The red-clad hero looked at him with concern. Marc nodded silently and forced himself to smile at her.

"Take it easy, Marc."

Ladybug patted his shoulder and used her yoyo to quickly leave. Cat Noir left as well and Marc found himself alone. He sighed and started making his way home.


	8. Chapter 8

Marc checked his phone while heading to the art room. He opened his messages but there was nothing from Nathaniel. The dark-haired boy sighed. He hadn't seen Nathaniel at school that day and the artist wasn't answering any of his texts, so the writer was going to find Alix and see if she knew anything about Nathaniel's absence.

The shy boy walked through the open door and immediately noticed the girl that was currently spraying blue onto the wall closest to the door. Marc tapped Alix on the shoulder and she ceased her painting and faced him while pulling her mask down to uncover her mouth.

"Hey, Marc."

She greeted with a smile.

"Hi, Alix. I noticed that Nathaniel isn't here today. Would you happen to know where he is?"

Marc spoke with a curious look and hoped that she knew something.

The short girl frowned slightly at the mention of the artist.

"I haven't been able to get much out of him today. All he's told me is that he's not feeling well and so he decided to stay home today."

Marc hummed thoughtfully and wondered why Nathaniel wouldn't be feeling well since he seemed fine the day before. The dark-haired boy smiled at Alix.

"Thanks for telling me. I'm going to head to his house and check on him."

Alix nodded and went back to her spray painting. Marc left the classroom and began heading to Nathaniel's house. While walking, Marc became lost in thought about Nathaniel's sudden absence. Ever since he became friends with the redhead, there hasn't been a single day where they didn't at least text each other so this has definitely made Marc feel like something was wrong. Before he realized it, he was staring at the house that he has visited countless times to work with Nathaniel on their comic.

Marc approached the front door and reached out before he tentatively knocked a few times. A moment of silence passed before the door was pulled open to reveal Nathaniel. The skin beneath the redhead's eyes was puffy and his eyes were a little red. Marc felt his worry skyrocket as he realized that the artist had no doubt been crying.

Marc stayed quiet for a few seconds before simply greeting Nathaniel in a quiet manner.

"Hey."

Nathaniel just waved halfheartedly before speaking in a whisper.

"You can come in if you want."

The blue-eyed boy opened the door wide. Marc nodded and walked inside before taking his shoes off at the door and following Nathaniel who had wordlessly headed to his room. Marc walked into Nathaniel's bedroom and sat down next to Nathaniel who was sat on his bed with his knees pulled up to his chest and his chin resting on top of them. Nathaniel sat quietly, not meeting Marc's inquisitive gaze. The room remained filled with a tense silence until Nathaniel finally said something.

"Lila and I broke up."

The words left Nathaniel's mouth in a dejected tone and Marc couldn't even bring himself to feel any glee at the fact that Nathaniel and Lila were no longer together.

"What happened?"

Marc asked quietly. Nathaniel swallowed before answering.

"I found out that she was cheating on me."

Marc's eyes went wide and he bit his tongue so nothing mean spirited about Lila would slip out, even though he wanted nothing more than to curse her name for hurting Nathaniel like that. Nathaniel's eyes glistened and he buried his face in his knees after he explained what had happened. Marc's face fell and he could feel his heart sinking at the sight of the normally content redhead looking so heartbroken.

Marc hesitantly reached a hand out before resting it on Nathaniel's shoulder. The artist raised his head slowly and looked at Marc with tears filling the corners of his eyes.

"Hey. It's going to be okay. I'm here for you."

Marc assured softly, hoping that his words would make Nathaniel feel better. The redhead didn't say anything but his shoulders slightly relaxed and Marc hoped that Nathaniel not being as tense was a good start to him cheering up. Marc ended up staying with Nathaniel for the next few hours before he had to head home, but before leaving, the dark-haired boy told Nathaniel that he would see him tomorrow.

The next few days went by in a flash to Marc. Every day after school, the dark-haired boy walked in silence with Nathaniel to the artist's house where they would work on their comic. But unlike before when laughter and smiles would be shared between the two, their working time was now spent with Marc attempting to cheer up a sullen Nathaniel who would only rest his gaze upon his sketchbook.

It was one day after school that Marc felt it was time for him to seek help with his attempts to make Nathaniel feel better. He texted Nathaniel and let him know that he would meet up with him at his house later because he had something to do first. Once the redhead had texted back his understanding, Marc went to room 33 and glanced around for Nathaniel's best friend.

Marc soon spotted her and walked over to her.

"Hey, Alix."

The punky girl nodded in greeting.

"Hey, Marc. What's up?"

The green-eyed boy frowned and looked at Alix with a defeated look.

"I don't know what to do. I just want to cheer Nathaniel up, but it doesn't seem like anything I try works. Since you're his best friend, would you happen to know anything that might help?"

Alix hummed thoughtfully before her face brightened and she grinned at Marc.

"I think I know what would work. Every year, Nathaniel goes to Foire du Trône. He's always excited to go. You should bring him there."

Marc thought it over and smiled.

"That's a great idea. Thanks."

Alix smiled.

"No problem."

Marc immediately headed to Nathaniel's house and entered since Nathaniel had told him to go ahead and come in whenever he arrived. The writer then went to the redhead's room and sat down at the desk as he greeted the artist who was working in his sketchbook.

As Marc greeted him, Nathaniel raised his head to look at the writer before giving back a quiet greeting. Marc smiled and got out his notebook before asking Nathaniel something.

"I was wondering something. Would you like to go out for the day tomorrow to the throne fair with me?"

True to what Alix said, the redhead's eyes instantly filled with excitement and interest as the carnival was mentioned. At the sight of those emotions being shown from Nathaniel, Marc was pleased and thought it was nice to see a look from the blue-eyed boy that wasn't a dull one. Since Lila and Nathaniel had broken up, nothing resembling joy had come from the artist.

Nathaniel smiled softly and immediately answered.

"I would."

Marc smiled back and nodded.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with the two working on their comic more before finding a stopping point and just hanging out. Nathaniel had a much better mood and was actually laughing again, much to Marc's relief. Plans for the next day were discussed and Marc said goodbye to Nathaniel before heading home.


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning was spent with Marc filling his backpack with essentials and eating a quick breakfast before meeting up with Nathaniel at the redhead's house. The two then made their way to the metro station and just sat contently during the ride. Soon, they arrived at their stop and got off, noticing the crowd of people that were probably going to the same place as them.

They followed the seemingly endless stream of people and soon noticed the entrance up ahead for the festival. Nathaniel was smiling and his eyes were bright with happiness and Marc couldn't help smiling fondly at the sight. After a few minutes of waiting in line, they purchased their tickets and were on their way only a few minutes past noon, the sun shining directly in the sky above them.

Marc stayed close to Nathaniel's side as they walked beneath the large pastel-colored sign displaying the carnival's name. The streets were filled with dancers wearing bright, feathery costumes. Marc looked around in awe at the many attractions and rides adorning the stretch of pavement that they two were following. After walking for a few minutes, Marc and Nathaniel decided to head down a street that was branching off from the main one.

The side street was lined on either side by attractions that Marc looked at while walking slowly down the pavement. While passing attractions, Nathaniel gazed up questioningly at the large building ahead that was mostly purple and had bright lights all over it. The blue-eyed boy squinted to read the small sign which described the attraction as one of horror. The artist smiled and began walking over to it with Marc. The writer nervously glanced up at the serpent-like monster heads that were moving and also read the sign.

The green-eyed boy felt some discomfort rise as they moved closer to the red wooden doors that led inside. Nathaniel noticed and stopped walking so he could turn and face Marc who was nervously fidgeting.

"Are you okay?"

Concern flooded Nathaniel's eyes and Marc swallowed heavily.

"Yeah, I just get scared easily so I usually don't go into haunted houses."

Nathaniel nodded in understanding.

"That's okay. We don't have to go in if you don't want to."

Marc felt bad as Nathaniel smiled and started heading away from the house with him. The writer could tell that Nathaniel wanted to go through the attraction and Marc didn't want to be the reason for Nathaniel not being able to.

"We can go in if you really want to."

Marc blurted out quietly.

Nathaniel stopped walking and looked at him with concern like before.

"Are you sure?"

The artist hesitantly questioned.

Marc nodded tentatively, hoping that the redhead would believe him.

"Yes. I'll be okay."

He must've been convincing because Nathaniel started heading to the attraction's entrance with Marc trailing behind him. The dark-haired boy took a deep breath and followed the shorter boy into the dark room. Upon entering, a bright red light turned on and Marc fought his fear as the light illuminated the deformed face of a prisoner locked inside of a cage.

The writer breathed shakily and Nathaniel noticed. The redhead reached out and took Marc by the hand. Marc's face instantly flushed and he tightly gripped onto the artist's hand. After a few seconds, Nathaniel started walking forward and led Marc through the dimly lit area. They turned away from the red light and the only source of illumination now was blue lights. As they passed through, all that could be seen was half-melted figures and cobwebs covering skulls and piles of bones.

Marc shivered fearfully as they passed giant mutant rats and hologram images of ghosts which appeared to be reaching out at anyone who passed by. Marc tried not to freak out as he passed cages with people wearing masks leaning up against the bars who would set off firecrackers after someone walked by.

The dark-haired boy flinched at the loud popping of the small fireworks and he must have been visibly shaking because he felt Nathaniel's thumb begin to rub slow circles into the back of his hand. The gentle touch immediately calmed Marc's nerves and he ventured further through the haunted house with Nathaniel.

Flashing lights filled the rooms and Marc shrieked as someone with a machete jumped out through a doorway. He fearfully bit his lip and felt Nathaniel move closer to him.

"I'm right here."

Nathaniel whispered reassuringly into Marc's ear which caused a slight shiver to run down the writer's spine. Marc nodded and kept walking. After passing through a couple more rooms, Marc felt relief as he noticed the exit sign above a tunnel's entrance. Nathaniel led the taller boy by the hand through the arched tunnel.

They were about halfway through when the sound of a revving chainsaw reverberated through the area. Marc looked back to see a man with a chainsaw running at them. The green-eyed boy screamed and ran with Nathaniel through the end of the tunnel and out into the sunlight.

Once out of the attraction, Marc held a hand to his chest and tried to calm his racing heart. Nathaniel stood next to him and gently placed a hand on the small of Marc's back.

"Are you okay?"

Nathaniel looked worriedly at Marc who had his eyes closed and was breathing in deeply through his nose. The blue-eyed boy frowned and rubbed Marc's back slowly and after a couple of minutes, Marc's heart had gone back to a regular rhythm and his breathing was even and calm.

"I'm sorry. We shouldn't have gone in."

The redhead turned his gaze to the side as he apologized to Marc. Noticing the gloomy look on Nathaniel's face, Marc immediately spoke kindly.

"It's okay. I agreed to go in. It's not your fault that I was scared."

Marc smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring way. Then Nathaniel looked at the writer timidly.

"Are you sure that it's okay?"

Marc nodded and smiled softly at him. Quickly, Nathaniel's stance relaxed and he smiled back.

"Okay. I still feel bad though."

After Nathaniel spoke, he glanced around before his face lit up and he grabbed Marc by the hand before leading him to a small game stand. Nathaniel handed the man the money to play and picked up a ball before taking careful aim and throwing it at the stack of three cans a few feet behind the counter.

Marc watched with an impressed expression as the ball struck the cans and knocked them all off of the small platform with a loud clang. Nathaniel proceeded to do this two more times, successfully knocking all the cans down with each round. Marc let out a small cheer each time that Nathaniel hit the cans.

When the writer did, Nathaniel would turn around and smile brightly at him which made Marc feel like his heart was ready to sprout wings and take off from his body from the swell of happiness that would fill him from having that beautiful grin directed at him. Once Nathaniel had used up all of the rounds that he paid for, he was told to choose one of the assorted prizes that were dangling above the counter.

The blue-eyed boy immediately turned to look at Marc.

"Pick one out. I figured that this would be a good way to make up for before with the haunted house."

Marc shyly gripped his arm and fought the blush that was rising to his cheeks as he moved closer to the counter and pointed at a stuffed bear. The worker got the small bear down and handed it to Marc who smiled and held the bear to his chest. As Marc and Nathaniel were walking away, the writer smiled at Nathaniel before softly speaking.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Nathaniel spoke back just as kindly and the two kept walking through the crowded street. As they passed various people standing and playing drums loudly, aromas began to fill the area and Marc let out a happy hum as he took in the sweet and savory smells from all of the food being offered at the plethora of stands set up all around them. Suddenly, the writer's stomach growled and he blushed as Nathaniel looked at him.

"Are you hungry? We can go ahead and find something to eat if you would like."

Nathaniel offered kindly and Marc immediately took him up on the suggestion.

"Sounds good to me."

The redhead gazed around before pointing to a food cart nearby.

"Want to try that one?"

Marc nodded with a small smile and Nathaniel smiled back before striding over to the rather large stand with Marc at his side. The pair silently read over the menu so they could decide on what they wanted. Once they were ready, they both ordered a grilled vegetable panini.

After paying and waiting for a few minutes, the orders were ready and the two boys picked up their wrapped sandwiches before finding a bench nearby to sit at. They sat down across from each other and Marc unfolded the paper before taking a small bite. The grilled taste of the vegetables was enough for the dark-haired boy to unconsciously let a small moan of pleasure slip out as he enjoyed his food.

Right after Marc made the sound, he realized what he had done and sheepishly smiled before looking up. The sight that greeted him was Nathaniel staring at the writer with a blush on his cheeks while gently biting his lip. Marc's attention was immediately captured by the way that the redhead's bottom lip was caught between his teeth and the writer felt a strong, sudden urge to move forward and gently press his lips against the shorter boy's.

The green-eyed boy slightly leaned his face towards Nathaniel who seemed to be doing the same before Marc's anxiety kicked in and he jerked back as his entire face flushed red. The rest of the time eating was spent in an awkward silence which thankfully subsided as the two boys threw their wrappers away before continuing on their way.

While passing different booths set up, Marc noticed one where people were getting their faces painted. Feeling curious, Marc walked over and looked over the wall of offered designs and one stood out to him. The writer smiled and Nathaniel stood next to him looking over the designs too.

They looked for a few seconds before Nathaniel spoke up.

"Would you like to get your face painted?"

Marc nodded with a small smile and the two got into the short line which thankfully consisted of only one person ahead of them. During the wait, Marc and Nathaniel discussed what other rides and attractions they wanted to check out next. After a few minutes, it was their turn and Marc was motioned forward by the lone face paint artist working at the stand.

The green-eyed boy sat down and told her which one he wanted. She nodded with a smile and began to use her brush to gently add colors onto his face. She started adding orange paint on either side of the bridge of Marc's nose right beside the corner of his eyes. Then a layer of green was added outside of the orange and moved out towards the sides of Marc's face.

For the next few minutes, more colors were added to the design: blue, purple, and red. The artist also used black paint to add lines to the multicolored butterfly wings that now took up a good part of Marc's face. Also, white dots were added in the corner of each of the wings as a finishing touch.

The makeup artist smiled and held up a mirror so that Marc could see his face. The dark-haired boy smiled and loved how bright the wings were. Marc thanked her before paying her and getting up so Nathaniel could sit down. The redheaded boy told the artist which pattern he wanted. The makeup artist immediately got to work and started adding orange, white, and black to the side of his face that wasn't hidden behind his hair. The finished result was a tiger pattern.

Marc blushed slightly as he noticed how well that the face paint brought out the gorgeous blue of Nathaniel's visible eye. Nathaniel didn't notice Marc's reaction and paid for his face paint before standing up and striding over to Marc who was waiting close by.

"What do you think?"

Nathaniel smiled at Marc and the taller boy shyly returned the smile.

"I think it suits you."

Once Nathaniel had heard Marc's words, he shyly smiled and Marc did the same at the blue-eyed boy. They soon went on their way, ready to see more of what the carnival had to offer. Surrounded by bubbles that were floating all over the place, Marc walked side by side with Nathaniel, almost close enough for their hands to touch. The writer felt his face heat up as he wondered how it would feel to just take the shorter boy by the hand. Would Nathaniel like it and perhaps intertwine his fingers with Marc's?

Suddenly Marc was pulled from his daydream as he noticed a man waving at them from a small cotton candy stand. Curious, Marc approached the man with Nathaniel and stopped right in front of the man who was smiling at the pair.

"My, my, aren't you two a lovely pair. Here's some free cotton candy, just for you."

Confused, Marc reached out and took the cone topped with a cloud of pink before questioning the man.

"How come it's for free?"

Marc inquired quietly, not quite understanding.

"We are giving a free cotton candy to any lovers who pass by."

Once the explanation had sunk in, Marc blushed brightly and stammered out a protest.

"But we're n-not together. We're friends."

Marc couldn't help the way that his voice fell slightly on the last word as he felt a little pang of hurt rise up from the knowledge that they were only friends even though he desperately wanted to be more.

The man didn't notice Marc's sad mood however and merely winked.

"I can tell a pair of lovers when I see them. Don't be ashamed. Love comes in many forms."

Marc simply sighed and, not wanting to talk anymore about it, nodded before walking over to a quiet Nathaniel who appeared to be lost in thought. Upon seeing Marc approaching, the blue-eyed boy snapped out of whatever had been on his mind and shyly looked at Marc before walking by his side again.

Around them, the carnival was gradually cloaked in darkness as the sun fell in the sky, giving way to streaks of magnificent purples, pinks, and oranges along one edge of the sky. Marc looked around happily as the food stands everywhere began turning their lights on which flashed and shimmered brightly.

Once the sun had vanished from the sky and night had taken over, Marc looked around at the lights that were now everywhere to be seen and his eyes were quickly drawn to the large wheel spinning with bright lights along the outer edge of the giant circle. The ferris wheel. It was definitely a ride that Marc has always preferred more than any other.

Nathaniel noticed what had captured Marc's attention and smiled softly.

"Do you want to ride that next?"

Marc looked at the shorter boy and smiled.

"Definitely."

After a short walk over to the line for the tall ride, Marc waited beside Nathaniel and just spent the time with him talking about their comic and just other things. After a short wait, people began getting onto the ride and the line grew shorter and shorter as Marc's excitement grew stronger and stronger. Soon, the two boys were at the front and a closed-in cart came into view and stopped in front of them.

Marc and Nathaniel carefully got into it before taking a seat on the hard bench. Once it was securely shut, it jerked slightly as the wheel began to turn again, not stopping this time since they were the last ones to get on. After a few rotations, the wheel began to turn before stopping for a minute each time so that each cart was able to have the top spot for a moment.

Once, their cart reached the top, the dark-haired boy gasped quietly as he took in the view offered from the top of the large wheel. Marc could see the entire carnival from up so high and it was just a neverending mix of bright lights that seemed to cast a glow around the whole festival.

Suddenly, loud popping filled the sky as fireworks burst right in the sky above the ferris wheel. Marc looked up in awe at the flashing explosions of green, yellow, and pink which lingered against the black expanse of the night sky. Soon, the colors faded but more appeared to replace them and Marc joyously watched. After a few minutes, the fireworks ceased and Marc guessed that the show was over for the night.

The dark-haired boy turned his head to look at Nathaniel who had been silent the whole time as opposed to Marc who had let out occasional sounds of astonishment during the fireworks display. The writer was surprised to see Nathaniel looking at him with what Marc would describe as warmth in his eyes. Marc froze and could practically feel his heartbeat in his ears as his eyes remained glued to Nathaniel.

Like he had been suddenly freed from a trance, Nathaniel blinked and shyly looked away from Marc as red rose up to the artist's cheeks. Marc looked away too and took deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart. After a few times of the ferris wheel rotating, the giant ride slowly halted to a stop and people began getting off once each cart came to a stop.

Once their cart was at the bottom, the door was opened and Marc stepped out with Nathaniel right behind him. Wondering how late it was, Marc pulled out his phone and checked the time which was displayed brightly as half-past eight. They decided that it was time to go and walked in silence, both having similar expressions of shyness as they made their way out of the carnival. During the ride home, Marc was tired and ended up dozing off a few times, his head resting against Nathaniel who wasn't bothered by the close contact.

Soon enough, they arrived at a bus stop that was, thankfully, close to both of their houses. Nathaniel helped a drowsy Marc off of the bus and they started walking in the direction of Nathaniel's house. The artist had insisted that Marc could just head home and didn't have to worry about walking with Nathaniel to his house, but Marc didn't budge and so the blue-eyed boy agreed.

The walk was silent and Marc was lazily drifting through thoughts since he was still waking up from his nap on the way back. After a few minutes, the green-eyed boy noticed Nathaniel's house rapidly becoming larger and felt a hint of sadness since his fun day with the artist was coming to an end.

Once they came to a stop right outside of Nathaniel's house, the redhead turned and faced Marc. The artist glanced away for a second before returning his gaze to the dark-haired boy and smiling softly at him.

"I would like to say...thank you. I had a really fun day today and I can't remember the last time that I had a day like that."

Nathaniel expressed while his smile widened slightly.

Marc felt a smile of his own make its way onto his face but before he could respond to Nathaniel's words, the blue-eyed boy suddenly had pulled him into a gentle hug. Marc was vastly aware of his heartbeat speeding up and the blush that was quickly appearing on his face as all he could focus on was the feeling of Nathaniel's arms around him.

Practically melting into the artist's warm embrace, Marc tentatively rested his head on Nathaniel's shoulder and put his arms around the redhead. After what felt like hours, but was only seconds, the embrace came to an end as Nathaniel pulled back from Marc and smiled at him.

Marc immediately noticed the genuine happiness that was filling Nathaniel's eyes as he smiled and the dark-haired boy felt a surge of satisfaction at having been the one to put that look on the artist's face.

"I'm going to head in. I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight Marc."

Nathaniel waved at him and disappeared inside after Marc said his own goodbye to the shorter boy. Once Nathaniel was out of sight, Marc grinned and happily made his own way home, already missing being around Nathaniel and excited for the next day so he could see him again.


	10. Chapter 10

Marc sat comfortably on his bed, in his red and black spotted pajamas, as he painted his toenails. He hummed along to the quiet music playing in his ears and felt content as he filled in the last nail that needed to be done. In the middle of one of his favorite songs, the volume lowered and his phone buzzed.

The writer picked his phone up from its resting place on the bed and unlocked it before pulling up his messages. It was Nathaniel wanting to know if the raven-haired boy was going to attend Chloe's party. The rich blonde girl was throwing a huge party at her father's hotel for the whole school to enjoy. Chloe herself wasn't too keen on the idea but was convinced by Adrien to host it. She, of course, agreed due to Adrien's influence and invited everyone at school.

Marc thought back to the mayor's daughter practically tossing a bright invitation onto his desk before moving on to do the same to the other people in his class. He wasn't that close with Chloe and wasn't that big on the idea of going to what would most likely be a really crowded event. Also, the event was formal wear.

The shy boy sent a text back letting Nathaniel know that he wasn't planning on going. The redhead instantly messaged back that it was a shame that the writer wouldn't be going and that he wished Marc would be there with him. The response caused Marc to blush and smile fondly at the fact that Nathaniel wanted him to be there.

It had been a month since the day they went out to the carnival and Nathaniel's mood had improved since then and he seemed much happier. Marc looked up at his desk and saw the slightly crumpled up letter balanced on the edge of the wooden surface. He hummed in thought and a fight was waged in his mind regarding the pros and cons of attending the party. The side pushing him to go triumphed in the end and he started to type a message to let Nathaniel know that he would be there after all, but stopped and erased it.

The green-eyed boy could surprise Nathaniel by showing up without letting him know. Marc carefully checked his nails to make sure they were dry before climbing off of his bed and making his way over to the corner of his room. He slid open his closet door and scanned the neat row of clothing hanging as he tried to figure out what he should wear for the evening.

Marc furrowed his brows as he failed to come up with an outfit. He went over to his bed and grabbed his phone before sending a short message to Marinette requesting her assistance with his wardrobe situation. She sent a thumbs-up emoji back and asked him to send her a picture of all of his formal apparel. He complied and snapped photos of all of his nicer items of clothing to send to his friend.

Marinette didn't send him a message for a few moments. He assumed she was deciding and waited patiently for a response. After a couple of minutes, she sent back five pictures of her selected items: a white and blue striped tie, a grey vest with black buttons, a black button-down dress shirt that was folded on the end of the sleeves and came up to rest in the crook of one's elbows, a plain black pair of dress pants, and his only pair of dress shoes which were the same color as the pants.

Marinette told him to put those on and then send her a picture of him in the outfit. Marc removed his pajamas and quickly dressed in the garments. Once done, he snapped a quick photo of himself and sent it to the baker's daughter. She sent back a grinning face emoji and a capitalized message showing her strong approval. He smiled and texted her to express how thankful he was for her help.

After hitting send, Marc set his phone down onto his bed and walked into his small bathroom. He searched through the few cosmetic items sitting on the back of his sink and picked up a mascara tube. He unscrewed the lid and made sure to evenly coat the brush with the contents of the tube before carefully running the brush through his eyelashes.

Once satisfied with the results, the dark-haired boy put the cap back onto the tube and set it back down. He picked a different tube and removed the lid before beginning to rub the small swap inside over his lips to apply his usual light pink lip gloss. He looked at his reflection and nodded to himself, feeling content with how he looked.

Marc quickly put the lid back on and set the tube back where it was before leaving the small space and heading back into his bedroom. He picked up the envelope off of his desk and put it into the pocket on his vest. He then went to the living room where his parents were and asked for a ride to the Mayor's hotel. After a minute of doting on Marc and how he looked, the writer's mother was beginning the short drive to the party's location with Marc sitting anxiously in the passenger seat as he thought about the note resting in his pocket.

They promptly arrived in front of the luxurious building and Marc quickly gave a farewell to his mom before getting out of the car. He breathed in deeply and began walking up the steps to the large main entrance. He stepped into the building and tried not to let his fretfulness of being around so many people get in his way.

The shy boy carefully moved through the crowds of people, keeping a watch for red hair. Along the way, Marc spotted Marinette and Luka standing close together and smiled at the sight of his cousin's arm around the girl's waist. Marc waved at them with a small smile on his face. They both waved back as Marc continued to walk. He also passed by the Juleka and Rose who were sitting together at a table, the short girl's head rested on the taller's girl's shoulder. He smiled and nodded at the pair who waved at him.

Marc soon spotted Nathaniel by a refreshment table. The blue-eyed boy was merely standing quietly while taking slow sips from the cup resting in his hand. The redhead was wearing an all-black outfit except for the shirt which was white. His ensemble for the evening was a pair of dress pants, plain dress shoes, a tie, a button-down long sleeve shirt, and a suit jacket.

Marc blushed at how attractive Nathaniel looked and raised a hand before waving it to catch his crush's attention. Nathaniel's eyes roamed the room before landing on Marc. He waved back and smiled widely at Marc from his place across the room before immediately beginning to make his way over to the dark-haired boy. Marc smiled back softly as he stayed where he was, waiting for Nathaniel to meet up with him. While Nathaniel was walking, Lila suddenly appeared and grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks.

Before Marc could even begin to feel distressed from her action, Nathaniel pulled his arm out of the girl's grip and continued heading to Marc. Nathaniel quickly reached where the taller boy was standing and stopped in front of him while aiming that charming smile at the green-eyed boy.

In the background, Lila huffed angrily and stormed off. Marc paid no mind to the dishonest girl's display of outrage and just kept his gaze on Nathaniel. Nathaniel's smile turned brighter as a caring look adorned his facial features.

"You're here," Nathaniel said happily.

"Yeah. I changed my mind and wanted to surprise you. Is t-that alright?"

Marc smiled nervously at Nathaniel.

Nathaniel grinned more and nodded.

"That's fine. I'm glad that you changed your mind about coming."

Marc blushed faintly before feeling somewhat sure about what he came to do.

"Me too. I, um, actually have s-something for you."

Marc carefully reached into the breast pocket of his vest and pulled out the slightly crumpled letter. He shyly handed it to Nathaniel and anxiously held his arm while the shorter boy opened it and removed the folded paper inside. Nathaniel held the paper open and read over the words scrawled neatly across it.

Once he finished reading, Nathaniel smiled affectionately at the writer and held Marc's letter in one hand while reaching his free one down to pull a small piece of paper from his pants pocket. He offered it to Marc with a blush blooming on his cheeks.

Marc gently grabbed it and blushed profusely as his eyes scanned over the detailed drawing of himself. His eyes widened a bit as he gazed at all of the different sized hearts randomly doodled on the empty space around the colored-in sketch. His attention moved up to rest on the shorter boy. Nathaniel's blush deepened from being under the writer's stare and he shyly gazed back. Nathaniel soon broke the silence between the two.

"I really like you too."

Marc's heart sped up and he felt a warmness spreading through his chest. He smiled bashfully at the artist. Nathaniel reciprocated the expression right before a slow song was heard in the large room.

"May I have this dance?"

Nathaniel nervously smiled and his blush spread to his ears as he looked hopefully at Marc.

The raven-haired boy blushed and nodded before he moved closer to the other boy. Nathaniel tentatively placed his hands on Marc's waist and the writer's hands found a place to rest on the shorter boy's shoulders. They moved slowly to the music as they wore matching blushes.

They kept dancing before the song changed to something even more romantic sounding and the pair couldn't resist changing their position while caught up in the mood of the moment.

Marc gently rested his head on Nathaniel's shoulder and placed his arms around Nathaniel's neck. The writer instantly melted as the artist's arms moved to wrap around his waist and hold him. The green-eyed boy just swayed contently with Nathaniel to the slow rhythm of the music.

Marc closed his eyes as he felt calmness seep through him. As he thought about what was happening, he came to two conclusions. One was that he would remember this moment for the rest of his life, and two was that there was nowhere else that he would rather be than in Nathaniel's arms.


End file.
